NEC XON has announced an Africa-wide extension of the in-country hybrid cloud capability it recently launched with Emtel in Mauritius.
The cloud capability gives enterprises and public institutions in Mauritius (and across the continent) access to secure, locally hosted cloud infrastructure that complies with national regulations and data sovereignty requirements. The announcement follows the official launch of the Emtel Cloud Platform in Mauritius on 21 August.
Mauritian minister of ICT Dr Avinash Ramtohul, NEC XON GM for Enterprise Technology Solutions for Africa, John Dewar, and Emtel CEO Kresh Goomany were all present at the launch.
Goomany, sharing his perspective, emphasised that the platform represents a pivotal advancement for Mauritius’s ICT sector. By enabling local hosting, it reduces dependence on international connectivity and cloud services, typically located abroad. This shift ensures enhanced reliability, lower latency, stronger security, cost efficiency and, most critically, preserves national data sovereignty.
“Cloud strategy is now business strategy – but in Africa, sovereignty and compliance remain the missing pieces,” said Dewar. “Our work with Emtel demonstrates what’s possible when cloud infrastructure is built for local needs first. We are proud to bring this model to the rest of the continent, where organisations face the same challenges around regulation, resilience, cost and flexibility.”
Closing Africa’s sovereignty gap
Across Africa, regulated sectors such as banking, finance, healthcare and government must balance modernisation with strict data residency requirements. Hyperscalers often do not deploy infrastructure in smaller markets, forcing businesses to host data offshore, exposing them to compliance, legal and operational risks.
With NEC XON’s hybrid cloud solution, those compromises disappear. Infrastructure is hosted under local jurisdiction, delivering both regulatory compliance and technical advantages such as lower latency, reduced exposure to international connectivity failures and built-in geographical redundancy to ensure continuity of services.
Modular, flexible and vendor agnostic
The NEC XON model is designed for scalability and flexibility, supporting everything from small and medium enterprises to multinational corporations and government agencies. Its modular design covers compute, networking and security, and integrates seamlessly with whichever vendor ecosystem customers already invest in.
“Our approach is completely vendor agnostic,” said Jurie Cordier, key account executive at NEC XON. “If you are already a Lenovo, Dell or HP house, we build around your strengths. That flexibility means no vendor lock-in and the ability to scale from a modest starting point to enterprise-grade environments without limitation.”
Cost transparency and local advantage
Another differentiator is cost predictability. Unlike hyperscalers that bill in foreign currencies and impose hidden charges for data ingress and egress, NEC XON’s model uses local currency pricing and transparent billing structures. This shields African enterprises from forex volatility and allows for sustainable long-term planning.
“As businesses across the continent digitise, being able to predict and manage cloud costs locally is a gamechanger,” said Dewar. “This approach gives organisations clarity and control over their budgets.”
A foundation for Africa’s digital future
With its secure hosting, modular design and cost benefits, NEC XON’s in-country private cloud capability arrives at a critical moment for Africa’s digital transformation. The Mauritius launch has proven the model’s value. “Cloud is no longer optional – it’s the foundation of Africa’s digital future,” said Dewar. “By making it sovereign, flexible and cost-predictable, we are giving African organisations the platform they need to compete, innovate and grow.”
About NEC XON
NEC XON is a leading African integrator of ICT solutions and part of NEC, a Japanese global company. The holding company has operated in Africa since 1963 and delivers communications, energy, safety, security and digital solutions. It co-creates social value through innovation to help overcome serious societal challenges. The organisation operates in 54 African countries and has a footprint in 16 of them. Regional headquarters are located in South, East and West Africa. NEC XON is a level 1-certified broad-based black economic empowerment business. Discover more at www.nec.africa.
About Emtel
Emtel is a leading telecommunications company based in Mauritius, offering a comprehensive suite of telecoms services. With a strong track record of innovation and industry firsts, Emtel has consistently pushed the boundaries of technology and service. The company’s investments in the Metiss submarine cable, cloud solutions, data centres, 5G, fintech and the first satellite ground station in Mauritius, in partnership with OneWeb, demonstrate its commitment to staying at the forefront of the telecoms industry. Emtel’s focus on innovation, customer satisfaction and shareholder value creation makes it an attractive opportunity for investors seeking growth and returns in the dynamic telecoms sector. Emtel is committed to playing a key role in building a smarter future for Mauritius, Rodrigues and Agalega, a future where positive economic, environmental and societal outcomes are powered by technology.
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